self-esteem or self-confidence

When my kids were little I read a lot of parenting books in hopes of becoming a better mom. I wanted to be a great mom and loved to get ideas from others on how to make that happen (Richard and Linda Eyre in particular).

I put some ideas to work and our family has continued to grow. But we are on the verge of entering the teenage years and I'M REALLY EXCITED! I believe that everything hinges on my attitude as a mother. I'm ready to embrace it and have fun with it, but most importantly I want them to have CONFIDENCE. Any child who has confidence will not only survive the teenage years but thrive and come out successful.

I've never been fond of the word self-esteem, and frankly, I think the whole self-esteem business is highly overrated. Give me a child with self-confidence instead and I'll give you a child who is a motivator, a leader, a contributor, happy, thinks of others. A child who is confident will grow up to accomplish great things because he was taught as a child to accomplish small things.

So how do I help them accomplish the little things? I put them to WORK . . . in the kitchen on this particular day.

Nate came to me the other day bored. So instead to telling him to go do something, I suggested we make cookies. At first he balked at the idea and didn't want to do it. But we headed to the kitchen and it was there that I realized he had never cracked an egg (small things). We had a great time and he discovered something about himself: he loves cooking. In five days he's made cookies, muffins, helped with a roast dinner, and helped make japchae (a favorite Korean dish). (Don't you love the red Koolaid moustache?)

A day or so after introducing Nate to the kitchen, I sat Ash on my lap and we went through all the things she's good at and put a letter on each finger for each talent. B for babysit Alex, R for reading, M for math, S for soccer, E for exercise, etc. (an idea from the Eyres).

Nate saw her fingers and wanted the same thing done for him. And ya know what the first talent he mentioned was? Cooking. In front of soccer, math, reading.

I am so glad I took the mommy moment with Nate to bake some cookies. I think it has made all the difference in helping him become more confident. He now knows he can walk in that kitchen and know where to find the flour, know how to measure salt, know how to pack brown sugar, know how to turn the oven on and set the timer.

(Just to clarify something about this photo: I'm not really as fat as this picture makes me look. I'm leaning against the shiny counter and it's reflecting my sweatshirt.)

viral

Thanks to Kiersten, pi has gone viral in our house. Over the weekend Nathan and Ash have both been memorizing digits of pi. Nate is up to around 40 and Ashlyn can name 11. They're both ages 8 and 6 respectively.

A quick little comment about the photos of Nate and Ash: Our annual tradition is to rake Grandma Leary's (or in this case great-Grandma Leary) leaves every fall. Before she ever calls us to come out, the kids have already asked me a million times when we are going. They truly do love doing it and it has created a relationship they wouldn't otherwise have.

parent teacher conferences

Last night I had three parent teacher conferences to attend. And they all started out the same. "You don't really need to be here," yada, yada, yada.

No, really, I didn't need to come. I have amazingly good kids who do amazingly well in school. However, there were a few behavioral issues to address like Ashlyn's teacher, Miss Whomack, informed me she is Bossy Britches sometimes, and Erik's teacher, Mrs. Emery, disclosed that  he needs to stop bugging his classmates after getting his assignment done.

But it was Nathan's teacher, Mr. Mettler, who actually brought imaginary tears to my eyes. He couldn't say enough good things about Nathan, about how he wanted an entire classroom of Nathans (not really, because that would be boring). But then he went on to tell Nate (or actually remind him) of a little story he tells the class about doors which reminded me of the doors on people's homes when we were in Ireland. I never got a really great shot, but the one way the people of Ireland show their individuality is through their front door which is usually painted in very bright colors.

Anyway, it went like this:

Someone like Nate who is bright and at the top of the class can walk into a room with many doors and be able to pick which one, or two, or three he'd like to open. It could be a doctor door or a lawyer door or a teacher door or an astronaut door or a president door. They can become anything they choose to become.But someone who isn't at the top of their game and is just sliding by will not have as many doors to choose from. He strongly encouraged Nathan to keep up his excellent work and to push himself to greater limits. Wow! I knew I liked this teacher but now I like him even more. I like how he'll give them little life lessons.

We talked about how hard it is for me to keep him in books. I'm constantly trying to find new books for the kid to read. Nate's teacher recommended several of his favorites: The Kingdom Keepers and Peter and the Starcatchers. Then he paused, reached upon a shelf behind him and grabbed the two books mentioned and GAVE them to Nathan. I increduously asked, "You mean he can keep them?" And Nate's teacher said he loves to give books to children who love to read.

I couldn't ask for better teachers for all my kids this year. It has just been a fabulous year and I would love to give them all something for it. I don't think I've ever given a teacher an end-of-year gift, but I would love to this year.

Maybe a book?

 I love that my kids enjoy participating in the same after school activities (and will be so sad when Kiersten graduates to junior high and will no longer be participating, sniff sniff). The latest has been chess club where they all came home winners. Erik took the grand prize of first place, Nate came in third, and Kiersten fourth. And can you believe the prizes they scored. Erik's teacher is in charge and when I asked about the funding for the chess club at parent teacher, she said it was her own moolah. Wow, another great teacher.

And the house projects continue

There were several items that didn't get completed before we moved into this house just for the sake of being able to get into the house after all the numbers were crunched and people were paid.

But now, thanks to a hefty check from Uncle Sam for doing geothermal cooling and heating, we are now in full swing again. However, the list is rather lengthy and it can be quite cumbersome deciding how to prioritize.

1. Number one on our list was easy. Blinds and shutters. We are tired of living in a fish bowl and sitting in the dark. They are now ordered and should be here in a month. (Does that mean they are coming from China???? Hmmmm . . . )

2. Our tile man is coming tomorrow to finish the kitchen backsplash. Tyler and I have been tossing around different ideas on how to design the area above the cooktop. I think we've settled on a keeper. I'm crossing my fingers that it all comes together . . . beautifully.

3. A swing set. I thought this was lower on our list until we came across a pretty good deal. And since we are going to be getting one eventually, it moved further up our priority list. We also live in an area with some pretty gusty winds and decided to spend a little on a swing set that's sturdy and hopefully won't tip (several neighbors have already warned us of theirs tipping over).

Now of a purely different nature: GO BYU! And Jimmer. He is just fun to watch. They've made it the Sweet Sixteen and we're all hoping they can pull off another game.

I'm also winning the brackets in our household. Um, wait a minute while I check one thing . . .

Oops! I predicted Florida to beat BYU. Now who do I root for?

Happy Birthday, Ash

Ash,

Happy Birthday to a cute 6-year-old.

I just could not imagine our family without our Ash.

The day you were born was a rainy day, and you came into the world rather quickly.

I knew the moment the nurses laid you in my lap that you were a special baby.

You bring such happiness to our family with your spunkiness and love for life. 

I hope you always share that happiness with others.

You requested chocolate muffins from Sam's Club for breakfast. I didn't really want to make that trip just for muffins and you were happy to have chocolate muffins from a box. However, the grocery store didn't have any, so you settled for a chocolate chip muffin mix and I added some cocoa to make it chocolatey. You don't get too upset over trivial things like muffins and I love that about you. Remember to never take life too seriously.

Several days before your birthday you requested Costa Vida for lunch. Your dad and I were a little surprised by that since you don't care much for Mexican food, or any food for that matter. But when we were at the grocery store getting your muffins, you saw Lunchables and immediately put them in the basket for your birthday lunch. That's was more like the Ashlyn I knew.

And for dinner you requested homemade macaroni and cheese and chocolate cake for dessert.

I love you Ash and are so glad to have you.
Love, Mom

 

39.4 pounds

??? inches

 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Just for your reference of what your world was like on your 6th birthday:
Price of gas: $2.36

Price of milk: $2.33

Price of our Stansbury home (.34 acres and 2900 sq feet): $218,900

Minimum wage: $7.25

9.0 Earthquake hits Japan on March 11

Your favorites:

Book: Junie B. Jones

Color: purple and pink

Song: "If I Listen with my haert" (Primary song for 2011)

Movie: Enchanted

TV shows: Bedtime storys.

Foods: Makcaroni

Games: Chuets and Laders

Toys: Barbeis

School subject: Centers

Places: reshrontes (restaurants . . . and when I asked which one, she said she likes Training Table)

Close friends: Alli and Keira (Swensen)

Hobbies: Play with Freinds

What I want to be when I grow up: Baby docter

(taken from a sheet I have the birthday child fill our; spelling has been retained)

March 14, 3/14, 3.14, PI, PIE

Happy PI day!
or in my world,
Happy PIE day!

And I do think we'll have some. Chocolate, banana, peach, raspberry.

It really doesn't matter.

I love pie.

Update:

After I had posted this, Kiersten came home from school and surprised me with this.

Can I just say math geek.

She says she's up to 36 digits on the video, but as of today (3/26) she has 55 memorized.

"We do not doubt our mothers knew it"

I could not have said it better than the following. It pretty much sums up thoughts I've had recently.

“I feel to invoke the blessings of heaven on my [children]--to call out every possible spiritual source of help. They are at the crossroad, their decisions are so crucial; I know the adversary will do all in his power to turn them from the spiritual blessings that are their birthright. . . . These are choice and valiant spirits and worth all the effort Satan can make to waylay them from the right path. Surely the Lord knows exactly what is happening and will send every spiritual source of help that can strengthen them. Their spirits are so precious, their decisions so crucial right now--choice of [spouse], choice of path, choice of life patterns. Their whole life will be so much affected. Their unborn children so impacted. Can these unborn children intervene in their behalf? Can they influence them for righteousness and right choices? Only the Lord knows what my [children] need, what can reach them, what influences will safeguard their souls, keep them on the path to their eternal inheritances. How I pray that they will be protected from the evils in the world, that the people and situations will come into their lives that will encourage them in the things of God. I would give my very life for any one of them to keep them safely moving ahead true to the best that is in them, listening to the Spirit, following it, becoming the men [and women] of God they have the potential to become. But in reality, I know that the most important thing I can do for them is to live by the Spirit myself and be a living witness of the truth.”
--Darla Isackson, Meridian Magazine

“No child in this Church should be left with uncertainty about his or her parents’ devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Restoration of His Church, and the reality of living prophets and apostles. . . Live the gospel as conspicuously as you can. Keep the covenants your children know you have made . . . And bear your testimony! Don’t just assume your children will somehow get the drift of your beliefs on their own.”
--Jeffery R. Holland, “A Prayer for the Children,” Ensign, May, 2003, 85-87

"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to"

Run a half marathon. That was my one and only goal for the year. The other day I registered for the Top of Utah Half Marathon on August 27. I am was hoping this half will would make me feel young and fit. . . . And then I had to select my age bracket and realized I've now moved up a division. I am getting older. No doubt about that. Birthdays kind of do that to you.

This year my mom gave me a birthday gift, however, that definitely takes me back 20 years to my childhood. Growing up she had this exercise video "Sweatin' to the Oldies with Richard Simmons" that we would all hip hop to (VHS naturally). I don't know that you could call it exercise; it was really just a lot of dancin' around. But I guess if it gets you movin' it qualifies and we loved it. Every now and then when we get together, someone inevitably brings up the video, and embarrasingly, we all start sweatin' to an oldies. My sisters are going to be so jealous. I definitely see a Richard Simmons workout party in the near future. My house. Bring your leotards, leg warmers, head bands.